On This Page

Filter

These are the filters currently being used to limit the search results. Click on the
icon to remove the filter.

min answer › date of answer

2019-06-17

min answer › question first answered

2019-06-14T14:23:16.383Z

Sort by

This list shows the properties that you can sort by. Click on to sort in ascending order and to sort in descending order. The properties that you're currently sorting by are
shown at the top of the list. Click on to remove a sort and or to reverse the current sort order. Click on the icon to remove all the sorting. Note that sorting can significantly slow down the
loading of the page.

View

Choose what information you want to view about each item. There are some pre-defined
views, but starred properties are always present no matter what the view. You can
star properties by clicking on the icon. The currently starred icons have a icon; clicking on it will unstar the property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions
he has had with his Israeli counterpart on recognition of the plight of Jewish refugees
from the Middle East and North Africa.

<p>​I am yet to discuss this matter with my Israeli counterpart. The history of Jewish
migration and displacement in the region is highly complex and cannot be ignored.
We acknowledge that the Jewish community has experienced unacceptable suffering. We
continue to support the aspiration for a Jewish homeland in the modern state of Israel,
just as we support the objective of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. A peaceful
future for the Middle East depends on a peace agreement that offers fair restitution
for both sides, and a willingness on the part of all countries in the region to respect
the rights of minorities and build inclusive societies which enshrine and uphold those
rights.</p>

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the
public purse of disapplying the 2019 Loan Charge to loans made before the Finance
(No. 2) Act 2017 received Royal Assent.

<p>An estimate of the cost of amending the loan charge to remove loans made before
2017 is not available. The loan charge was legislated in the Finance (No.2) Act 2017
and is part of a package which was estimated to yield £3.2 billion over five years.</p><p>HMRC
have written directly to scheme users identified through their compliance work, IT
records and tax return data. This includes individual scheme users, employers and
company directors.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, HMRC have actively encouraged DR scheme
users to come forward through their regular contact with taxpayers, and seek to increase
awareness through their series of Spotlight publications, social media activity, and
webinars.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC are not aware of any individuals affected whom they have
not yet contacted.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>

<p>An estimate of the cost of amending the loan charge to remove loans made before
2017 is not available. The loan charge was legislated in the Finance (No.2) Act 2017
and is part of a package which was estimated to yield £3.2 billion over five years.</p><p>HMRC
have written directly to scheme users identified through their compliance work, IT
records and tax return data. This includes individual scheme users, employers and
company directors.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, HMRC have actively encouraged DR scheme
users to come forward through their regular contact with taxpayers, and seek to increase
awareness through their series of Spotlight publications, social media activity, and
webinars.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC are not aware of any individuals affected whom they have
not yet contacted.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>

<p>NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently working across the entire criminal
justice pathway to develop and improve services for offenders with mental health difficulties.</p><p>
</p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with partners to intervene at the
earliest opportunity to ensure that offenders receive the right care, in the right
place, at the right time.</p><p> </p><p>Liaison and Diversion Services operate in
police stations and courts to identify and assess people with vulnerabilities including
mental health issues. Where that individual is subsequently sent to prison the receiving
prison will have the relevant information of the individual’s mental health needs
to inform the reception healthcare staff so that they can implement appropriate interventions
as soon as possible after they arrive.</p><p> </p><p>Health services are available
across the estate where assessment identifies treatment needs.</p><p> </p><p>The service
specification for prison mental health services was reviewed in 2017-18. This review,
led by clinicians in conjunction with stakeholders and informed by experts with experience,
was published in March 2018, with all new services being commissioned against it from
April 2018. The new specification includes the Royal College of Psychiatrists Quality
Network for Prison Mental Health Services standards, ensuring equity of quality across
the estate.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently consulting
on revised Transfer and Remission guidance to ensure that new clinically developed
timescales are set which ensure timely and appropriate access to mental health treatment
in hospital when necessary, in a clinically safe and well managed way. The consultation
ends on 19 July 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The NHS Long Term Plan committed to a new service
to support people leaving custody to remain engaged with community-based healthcare
services. The reconnect service will support continuity of care when people return
to the community.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p>

<p>No estimate has been made of the proportion of the prison health population with
mental health problems.</p><p> </p><p>Currently a closed system is used to record
clinical data in prisons. The Health and Justice Information Service system, being
rolled out between 2018-20, will have the ability to share information with community
healthcare services; this is integral to the collection of relevant data that is quality
assured and robust.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the Citizens
Advice Costs of Collection report finding that council tax collection practices are
adding nearly half a billion pounds a year to personal debt.

<p>I am aware of concerns of charities, debt advice bodies and local councils about
council tax debt. That is why my Department is engaging with, and reviewing evidence
compiled by these bodies with a view to making council tax debt collection fairer,
more efficient and compassionate. Following these discussions we intend to publish
updated guidance on good collection practices, before considering the scope for further
reforms.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend The Council Tax (Administration
and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 to remove the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment
of council tax.

<p>The Government is currently engaging with a range of stakeholders to consider how
to improve council tax collection. Following those discussions, we intend to publish
updated guidance on good collection practices, before considering the scope of further
reforms. The Government is clear that imprisonment should only ever be the last resort
for non-payment of council tax. Before a magistrates’ court commits someone to prison
for failure to pay their council tax, it must inquire as to the debtor’s means, and
satisfy itself that failure to pay is due to “wilful refusal or culpable neglect”.
This is to prevent persons who are genuinely unable to pay their council tax from
being committed to prison.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2019 to
Question 253551 on Ministry of Justice: telephone services, on what date that helpline
was set up; how many calls that helpline received in each month from the date it was
set up to 30 April 2019; what promotional material was used to advertise that helpline's
use; and whether that helpline is still in use.

<p>The attached table shows the number of calls received by each telephone line, these
go back as far as data is available.</p><p> </p><p>The CICA phoneline was set up in
2007/2008. HMCTS centralised its telephone service to go through their Loughborough
Contact Centre in 2011. The LAA phonelines have existed in various formats for the
past 17 years. OPG do not have the exact date that the phone line was set up. All
phonelines are still in use.</p><p> </p><p>All numbers are advertised on relevant
department websites and some are included on letterheads and corporate literature.</p>

<p>The Ministry of Justice is continuing discussions with its Suppliers in relation
to the outage. Due to the ongoing nature of these discussions it is not possible to
provide any information pertaining to the quantification of costs, at this time.</p>

<p>The number of days sat by Crown Courts in England in the financial years 2015/16,
2016/17 and 2017/18 are set out in the table below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial
Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Days sat</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/2016</p></td><td><p>104,647</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/2017</p></td><td><p>103,338</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/2018</p></td><td><p>98,616</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><em>Note: Cases include all case types (e.g. trials, appeals, sentences etc.)</em></p><p><em>Although
care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies
inherent in any large-scale management system and is the best data that is available.</em></p><p>
</p><p>Waiting times for trials in the Crown Court in 2018 were the lowest since 2014
- despite the challenge of increasingly complex cases - and the number of trial cases
in hand is the lowest since 2000. We continue to review demand and performance in
the Crown Court to ensure it has the resources it requires.</p>